First started in 1980, the Lions Home for the Elders officially opened its new nursing home in Bishan yesterday.

The six-storey, 230-bed nursing home built by the Ministry of Health commenced operations in October 2015, with the elderly residents moving from the previous location in Toa Payoh Rise.

Speaking at the opening yesterday, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said the home has come a long way since its beginnings as a small community home for the elderly destitute. It now operates more than 380 nursing home beds, including a nursing home in Bedok South.

Mr Gan noted that demand for healthcare services will grow as a result of Singapore's ageing population. Today, one in seven Singaporeans is aged 65 and above. It will be one in four by 2030.

He said: "To provide good and appropriate care for our seniors...we need to transform our healthcare delivery. We need to go beyond hospital to home and make the community the centre of gravity of care provision, especially for our seniors."

To that end, the Government is stepping up the provision of aged care services. "We are increasing capacity, including nursing home capacity, significantly," he said.

The number of nursing home beds has increased from 9,400 beds in 2011 to 12,800 beds today. This will grow to 17,000 by 2020, said the minister. The quality of care will also be enhanced, he added.